Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-08-04

are with the best order of society. SO
shall society come to regard them as it
now regards a breach against moral
code, that is, as criminal not only against
the community but also against the
individual"
If two persons marry, in each of
whose families there exists intemper-
ance, nervous disease of any kind. or
consumption, there can scarcely be
expected any other result than offspring
with these same diseases, in aggravated
forms, or too weak to be reared to adult
age. The same may be said of nervous
and bilious temperament, of deceitful
natures, of ugly and hot tempers
/ Hence the frst-the most important and
/ decided-means of avoiding such trans
mission is the modification of it, which
would be produced by marriage into a
family in which there was no such faint
or tendency, or better still, in which
there was a constitution directly the
/ reverse.
''The ancient Egyptians and the
Spartans acted upon the idea of the
need Of ante-natal education, and the
mothers power of influencing it."
They spared no pains to surround their
pregnant women with the pure and
/ beautiful things of life, with magnificent
/ pictures upon the walls, elegant statuary
etc. To this might be added after birth,
/ cheerful, healthful surroundings, an
example of wise department on the
part of the parents; a decipline in
training and self-control; occupation at
all ages suitable to the age and physique
Of the child, which should 50 occupy the
thoughts that there could be no space
for apathy, idleness or infrmity of
purpose. Then the school education
should be adapted to development in
the needed direction on the same
principles,
These external surroundings have a
strong relation to the present physical
conditions they must give direct and
decided aid to the next generation by
the improved health and strength
given to this one in DELEGATE families.
The people can help immensely, could
save themselves pain, trouble and
expense by making sanitation combat
inherited defects. The number of
defective boys and girls who now reach
the age at which they may multiply and
perpetuate their kind has probably
never been equalled. During the more
primitive periods of civilization. weak
and imperfectly developed children
were more likely to perish by the hard
ships to which they were exposed, and
| by the little skill and care shown in the
preservation of life than they are to-day.
Physical strength was then more highly
priced and sought after This acquired
imperfection or diminished stamina
occurring in young manhood and
WomanhOod, has special bearing upon
hereditary modification, as it viii be
handed down to the children next in
line; and if these be subjected to like
influence q still more marked deteriora-
ton will ensue, until there will be only
nervous, slckly boys and girls to grow
up to Invalid maturity.
ltWOuId Therefore seem that education
thus far has WToughtan incomplete work
IN this regard. What it has done is well
done, but there is yet more for it 10 do.
1t has yet to show men and women how
they may use the great trust committed
to them-the care of themselves. Great
powers of body and mind are put in
their hands by which they can accom-
plIsh an almost infinite variety of
purpose, do great good to the world, and
gain unmeasured happiness for them
selves. They should not only be taught
and encouraged to work with their
bodily organs and mental faculties, their
muscles, brains and minds, but they
should be shown the condition of their
endoWments, their capacities and
liabilities, their limits and dangers.
We are told that when the seaman
undertakes to manage Il ship, it is not
enough that he understands navigation
and geogra ply, the course and way to
the destined port, to raise and present
the sails to the wind, but he learns all
the conditions Of the path the shoais,
the rocks that lie in his way, and the
dangers of the ocean He learns the
capacity of the vessel, its liability to
leak, the burden that 1t will carry safely,
the strength Of the sales, ropes and
maSts. Then In accordance with these
conditions he manages the ship"
When an engineer assumes the direc-
ton Of a steam engine he is not content
with the assurance that with it he can
run mills, looms, spindles, lathes, etc.
but he studies the whole structure and
strength OF all It's parts; the rate it can
run, the force that can be applied with
out danger: the quantity of water and
fuel that are needed, the pressure of
steam that can be borne Having thus
prepared themselves for their response
bllities, the seaman sails his ship and
the engineer runs his engine safely, and
both accomplishes the purposes for
which they were designed without
injury and with out loss, without
needless or unnatural wear and tear.
Thus our schools as they send their
pupils forth to the world entrusted with
their own vital machines to do the work
of life, should not neglect to teach the
laws which govern them and thus save
our educated children from exposure to
that error and danger which is liable to
be found all along the pathway of life
for the want of proper understanding
and application of the hygienic laws
governing their own machinery
Spurzheim wrote half a century ago:
Putting forth the idea that the
psychological conditions of parents
being known, the intellectual character
of the children may be foreseen, and by
employing similar means to those
adopted for animals we could create |
races or families of able men and
women"
This should be repeatedly taught, set
before the eyes of all; and that no one |
may shield himself behind the fact of
heredity the idea should also be con-
stantly and carefully inculcated that by |
iudicious physical and moral training |
suited to each case the inheritance may
be cOunteracted or its full DEVELOPMENT /